Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• eleven •

I looked at Asmo who watched our surroundings in equal disbelief. "Where did you take us?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. I just followed my magic." I paused as I took in the small structure in front of us.

A small, lonely cabin stood in the middle of the deserted woods. Nothing particular stood out from it. It seemed very ordinary even in the night.

"There are people in there," Asmo whispered beside me. He pointed at the chimney attached. Smoke quietly billowed from the top.

I winced again when I felt a dull pain in my side. Oh, gods, if something happened to Julian...

"I have to go. I'm sorry---I have to--" I moved to stand, clawing at the dirt underneath as I moved.

Asmo tried to grab my hand but failed to catch me as I made my way up the steps of the cabin to the front door. Mehnit followed close behind in her lion form.

My magic tugged at me. It pulled me to the house, it grew inside me the closer I got to the door. I could feel it pulsing under my skin, screaming at me to only get closer.

I swung the door open and felt my magic immediately subside.

As soon as I took in the sight before me, I realized what my magic was asking me to do.

It needed me to be there. It wanted me to witness it. The pain I felt wasn't someone attacking me. It was someone with the same magic as me being attacked.

And dying.

I ran to him, falling on my knees even with the blood pooled around him. Both relief and horror washed over me as I realized it wasn't Julian after all, it was someone else.

A man with silver hair just like mine.

"No, no, no, no." I couldn't form any other word. My mind couldn't register anything else as I took in the man that lay dying in front of me.

I was sobbing, taking in the damage that his body had gone through.

And even when I started asking, begging for Asmo to help me, I knew deep down, there wasn't anything we could do. "Asmo," I gasped. "Please, help me."

The man's eyes fluttered open and as soon as he saw me, a small smile hinted his waxy lips. His bloodied hand reached for my hair gently. When he spoke, it came out in ragged breaths in a language I couldn't understand.

I looked at Asmo. "What is he saying?"

Asmo shook his head. "I don't know what language he's speaking."

His hand reached for my cheek and cupped it.

I placed my hand over his. His hand was so cold.

My hand reached for his silver hair too and I instantly knew our connection.

The man was a stranger but my magic knew him. It wasn't like with Julian. I always felt a strong connection between us but the one I felt with the dying man in front of me was stronger.

If I was the last pureblood female light fae, he was the male.

And I was moments away from truly being the last one.

He smiled sadly as he watched me. He knew he was dying, I could sense it in his resolve.

I was shaking violently, not from the cold but the realization of what happened and who I was finally meeting.

I cupped his cheek like he did mine. "Hi," I finally whispered. "I'm Emmy."

His lips shook as he whispered something.